Life cycle assessment of an electrochemical hydrogen compressor for green hydrogen production

While green hydrogen is essential for decarbonizing the energy matrix, its storage remains challenging due to hydrogen's physical properties. Electrochemical Hydrogen Compression (EHC) offers a promising, noiseless alternative to mechanical systems by enabling isothermal compression and simultaneous purification. This study presents a cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a lab-scale EHC, evaluating the environmental impacts of manufacturing materials and operational energy. Experimental results identify an optimal current density of 1.25 A/cm 2 , achieving Faradaic efficiencies above 94% while balancing material amortization and energy use. Findings reveal that the electricity source is a critical driver; using wind power reduces the carbon footprint by 58% compared to the German grid mix. While structural components account for over 80% of the manufacturing footprint, scaling-up projections and extended operational lifespans (up to 40,000 h) significantly improve sustainability by distributing material impacts over higher cumulative hydrogen outputs. These results underscore the importance of renewable energy and material efficiency for the industrial scalability of green hydrogen infrastructure.